1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a rolling sliding member. More specifically, for example, the present invention relates to a method of producing a rolling sliding member that can be preferably used in a slim rolling bearing or the like used in an electronic control coupling or the like for a 4WD vehicle.
2. Related Art
As a quenching method of an steel annulus member that can quench the steel annulus member used as a bearing ring of a rolling bearing at a low cost and a high efficiency, there is proposed a quenching method of a steel annulus member which, after heating a steel annulus member having a specific composition up to a predetermined quenching temperature, quenches and cools the steel annulus member in the air by a quenching cooling wind of a specific velocity (e.g., see JP-A-2005-171322).
However, when a tempering of the steel annulus member quenched by the quenching method is performed, at a tempering temperature of 160 to 280° C., a time of 30 minutes or more is generally needed to restore toughness of a hard and brittle quenching martensite. For example, there is a disadvantage in that, because the steel annulus member should be heated at a tempering time of 90 to 120 minutes for a long time (e.g., see paragraph [0011] of JP-A-2005-171322), energy loss during heating increases and a long time is required for the tempering. As a result, the production efficiency deteriorates.
Accordingly, recently, there has been a persistent demand for the development of a method of producing a rolling sliding member which can effectively produce the rolling sliding member with little energy loss and excellent toughness.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned related art, and an object thereof is to provide a method of producing a rolling sliding member which can effectively produce the rolling sliding member with little energy loss and excellent toughness.
Generally, when tempering a work for a rolling sliding member that has been made of a high carbon chromium bearing steel such as JIS SUJ2 and formed in a predetermined shape, in order to restore the toughness of the martensite which constitutes the work of the quenched rolling sliding member, it is considered that the work should be soaked for the tempering time of 30 minutes or more.